Four Emiratis sentenced to death for joining ISIS

Top court in the United Arab Emirates sentences four locals to death after convicting them of joining ISIS jihadists in Syria.

Arutz Sheva Staff, 15/02/16 06:46

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Reuters

A top court in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday sentenced four Emiratis to death after convicting them of joining the Islamic State (ISIS) jihadist group in Syria, local media reported.

The four, who were tried in absentia, are part of a group of 11 defendants accused of "joining the terrorist Daesh group in an Arab country", the official WAM news agency said, using the Arabic acronym for ISIS.

Local newspapers said that the group had travelled to Syria.

They were also charged with "promoting" ISIS online, helping to finance the

group and insulting UAE leaders, WAM said.

Three other Emiratis, a Bahraini, a Mauritanian and a Syrian were handed jail sentences of between three and 10 years, the local Gulf News daily reported. Another Emirati was acquitted.

Abu Dhabi's Federal Supreme Court does not allow international media access to such trials.

The UAE is a member of the American-led coalition that has been bombing ISIS jihadists in Iraq and Syria since September 2014.

UAE authorities have enacted tougher anti-terror legislation, including harsher jail terms and even introducing the death penalty for crimes linked to religious hatred and extremist groups.